Thursday, September 4, 2014

Last Saturday morning, I was teaching my youngest
how to make shape pancakes because FUN! But her smile drooped, her forehead
wrinkled, and I sensed she was ready to hurl the ladle across the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I keep trying to make a turtle, but it looks
nothing like a turtle,” she grumped.

I tilted my head and opened my eyes wide. “WHOA!”

The pancake she had tried to make into a turtle had shifted
into golden phoenix. It was incredible. When I told her what it looked like to
me, it became an insta-favorite.

This happens with so many things. Stories. Guys.
Relationships.

We have in mind what perfection looks like. We
see it so clearly, we can almost taste it. And then it morphs into something we
hardly recognize. It may still be amazing, or it may be horrific, but all we
can think is, “That’s not a turtle.”

Has this happened to you? Did you learn to
love what it became, or did you start all over again? Leave a comment to share!

Thursday, July 31, 2014

I’ve been thinking about firsts this summer and how,
um, AWKWARD they can be. So in case you wanted to think about awkward firsts too, whether
for late night bonding with a friend or for a writing exercise, here’s a list
to get you started:

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Today there is a feeding frenzy happening on Twitter called PitMad. Some writers knock contests saying that they are time sucks and that writers should stick to querying agents they've researched. I think that advice is only half true. Writers should always research an agent before deciding whether or not to submit pages to them. Just because someone has Twitter followers and an agency, doesn't mean he/she is a good agent or a good agent to represent your writing.

But contests can be amazingly helpful for writers hoping to find agents. You see, my fabulous agent Laura Zats found me because of last fall's PitMad.

*stops to do the Peanuts' happy dance*

It's true! I pitched my young adult suspense ASHES AND INK, and Laura Zats requested a partial...followed by a full...followed by a request for a phone call which led to an offer. Some would argue that I could have found her on my own, but here's the thing: It hadn't been announced that she was an agent yet. *gasps* That's right! I snagged a ninja agent that I would have never known was an option had it not been for pitching ASHES AND INK into the PitMad frenzy. So I researched her, emailed her references, and signed with her a week after our phone call. Initially, I was going to take two weeks to decide, but we clicked so well, and I loved her ideas and enthusiasm so much, I could not wait another week to team up with her and Red Sofa Literary.

This led to my winter hibernation from my blog. On top of being a driven agent, Laura Zats is an extraordinary editor. She sent me fantastic revision notes to help fix plot holes, draw out scenes, and make my YA shine. So that's where I've been. Hibernating in my revision cave. And now that my manuscript is polished and pretty, I get to work on my next one.

Good luck, PitMad peeps! I know it seems crazy to throw your manuscript into the Twitter rapids, but wonderful things can happen! So take a chance, do your research before hitting send, and know that I'm cheering for you!

Comment and tell me your Twitter handle if you're participating in PitMad. I'd love to see your pitches and cheer you on!

To read the interview with Laura Zats and myself, check out Jamie Corrigan's big reveal.

Monday, November 18, 2013

With
Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought we’d put a bookish spin on
things and talk about characters we’re thankful we've met. One character I’ve loved
since I was a little is Pippi Longstocking. She’s creative. She always has a
story to tell. She’s much stronger than she looks. Annnnnnnnnnnnd she has a pet
monkey. Ha! So how about
you? Is there a character you’ve read about recently or one from your past that inspired you? Share about him/her in the comment section. On Thanksgiving, I’ll draw one sharer's name to win a $10 Barnes & Noble gift card.
This contest is only open to U.S. residents. Be sure I have your email address,
Twitter handle, or some way to contact you in case your name is picked. Good
luck, and thanks for sharing!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Sometimes the
things a person or character won’t say are more telling than what they will
say. Delia Moran has a post on what she wouldn’t say, and I love it so much I
decided to steal (with her consent) the idea. Here’s the link to hers. And
here are five things you’ll never hear me say:

5. Want to meet
me for a 5:00 a.m. jog? 4. I know
exactly where that random piece of paper I jotted that down on is!3. Who would buy
paperclips just because they come in cute shapes or colors?2. Baked Kale
tastes just like potato chips.And last, but not least:1. No worries. I
never take my story ideas from real life situations.

What would be on
your list? Share by leaving a comment. If you decide to steal Delia’s post idea, be
sure to leave the link so we can read yours too! J

Monday, November 4, 2013

My littlest is
in love with the idea of having a puppy. We emailed in a rescue application for
a particular fur baby. They called our veterinarian. Things
were hopping along, until I checked Petfinder and discovered someone else had
adopted the cutie over the weekend. My little one cried. SOBBED. Until I showed
her a new puppy…with a fat little puppy belly…and pleading puppy eyes. Then my
daughter fell in love. Again.Sometimes we’re
in love with an idea more than an individual. This happened to
me in college. I was dancing with my friends in a club, when I noticed a quiet
guy watching from the corner. He’s probably
shy…and smart…and funny…and perfect for me, I thought. In reality, he was
shy, but not funny. He was sure UFO’s existed and visited often. I would
look up during random times of my day and find him watching me. Not the
romantic, sweet, sort of watching. The creepy sort of SomeoneDoACriminalBackgroundCheck
watching. Yeah. Not so perfect for me after all.Writers can do this with agents and editors. There are awesome professionals
scouting for talent on Twitter and blog contests, but there are also people out
there who call themselves agents and editors that don’t do either well. When a
request comes from someone, ANYONE, it’s hard not to get excited. But a savvy
writer will check out them out thoroughly before deciding whether or not to
submit their work to them. Has this ever
happened to you? Have you ever been in love with the idea more than the
individual? Tell us about it in the comment section. Substitute Bob or Bobbette
to avoid naming names!

About Me

I love to write for teens and kids. I also love Krispy Kreme doughnuts, playing guitar, and being a mom. I'm represented by Laura Zats of Red Sofa Literary. You can contact me at LauraLRenegar at gmail dot com.

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On The Bookshelf

Teaching Others to Be Better Songwriters, my interview with Steve Seskin can be found in the Writer's Digest's 2010 SONGWRITER'S MARKET.

Available Manuscripts

ASHES & INKYoung Adult / Teens68,000 words

Fresh out of juvie for arson, fifteen-year-old Mazie is abandoned by her bitter Aunt Deb minutes after she'd signed for Mazie's release. While living on the streets and drawing flash for a tattoo shop, Mazie learns that Samantha, the daughter of the firefighter killed in the flames Mazie started, has disappeared. When she finds out a serial kidnapper is on the prowl, and that Samantha is likely one of his victims, Mazie hunts for clues that could save Samantha from becoming the next body to wash ashore. But finding Samantha means NOT laying low--a risky gamble since Mazie is already on the run for crimes she didn't commit.

INSTA-GATORPicture Book745 words

Cray’s rowdy bayou brothers are the instigators in the family and take advantage of Cray, expecting him to clean up their messes like a Cajun Cinder-fella. But when Cray finds a hoodoo egg containing gator dust, he trades in his dustpan for a sharp set of teeth and eyes that can hunt underwater. Cray's jazzed about being an Insta-Gator and gives his brothers a taste of their own potion. But when the fun of the gumbo hogging, floor flooding, and cat chasing wear thin, Cray must decide whether it's all worth leaving his brothers with the blues.